Acupuncture
On your first visit, what to expect? Time to put you at ease, the acupuncture needles are your allies, and the goal is to make you comfortable and treat gently.
We spend about a half hour talking about your issues and your goals. I’ll give some prompts to gather clues. You’ll get a pulse diagnosis, where I measure your pulse at three positions on each wrist, and a tongue diagnosis.
The acupuncture occurs in the treatment room, where you’ll be able to relax in darkness and privacy. (Unless you want the lights on - we can do that!) The room is comfy and warm, with a TDP heat lamp on your feet and a heated table. I usually treat directly on to the painful, tense areas after locating your sore spots. We also may treat additional points on the body. Most people feel a little tugging at the needle site, or warmth, or pressure. Some people feel relaxed right away. The needles stay in for 20-30 minutes. Music, or silence. Wait for the points to get tingly. Your muscles may pulse as they release tension. You may feel floaty, or heavy, become drowsy, or fall asleep.
I only work with one patient at a time, so you get my full attention during your session. If you need anything during the session, I’m available. No rushing or urgency, drop into the acupuncture zone and enter deep time.
All needles at Heavenly Stems Acupuncture are sterile, disposable, and individually packaged. All needles are disposed of in a sharps container at the end of the treatment. We have sinks for practitioner hand washing, and touchless hand sanitizer for patients.
Windows are opened between patients (or during the treatment if weather is appropriate), and an Austin air purifier runs during the session to filter the air. The table is sanitized between patients and all sheets are changed. Melissa wears an N95 at all times.
Ear acupuncture and electroacupuncture are both available, as appropriate or by request.
How Soon Can I See Results?
It depends, because lots of factors contribute to the healing process, but the effects are cumulative. Mild or newly present symptoms often resolve after a single treatment. Longer-term, more chronic conditions typically require ongoing treatment for 5-10 sessions or for longer durations. Many of our patients keep turning to us for ongoing care over the years, building relationships lasting over the seasons of life.
Herbal Medicine
The practice of herbal medicine in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) uses a synergy of herbs in its formulas, based on traditional recipes that go back hundreds or thousands of years. These custom crafted combinations of herbs and formulas restore balance in your body, personalized for you.
These formulas act like amendments for the garden of your body. Some herbs, called tonics, build up depleted energy, build blood, or moisten the body. Some herbs have warming or cooling functions. Others remove mucus, reduce spasms, or stimulate blood circulation. The symptoms, tongue, pulse, and deep observation and listening give the clues needed to figure out an herbal strategy. Your herbal blend may be adjusted over time to meet your body over time.
Herbal medicine is usually taken over a period of weeks to months. We carry powders and capsules from Evergreen Herbs, based in Southern California with clean manufacturing practices and testing of all batches. We also carry handcrafted tinctures and liniments by Griffo Botanicals, a Petaluma-based company using sustainable and eco-friendly manufacturing and top quality herbs.
Heavenly Stems only uses herbs from plant sources and, due to our love of critters, does not use animal products.
Cupping
Cupping is used to loosen tight muscles in the back, neck, and shoulders.
Glass cups are applied to the back, using a flame to create suction, or using a suction apparatus. This draws circulation into the area, which improves circulation, and releases trapped waste products from rigid muscles.
We offer two types of cupping:
Stationary cupping: Cups are left in place. Targeted muscle release.
Moving cupping: Manual gliding of cups over back and shoulders. Breaks up knots in muscles and fascia. A thin coat of unscented coconut oil is first applied to the back to allow the gliding.
Cupping can be booked as an add-on with your acupuncture session.
